The present invention relates to a terminal for use in ultrasonic welding, which is electrically connected with a covered wire by ultrasonic energy. Note, in this specification, the terminal will be referred as "ultrasonic welding terminal", hereinafter.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-70345 discloses a conventional ultrasonic welding terminal interposed between a first member and a second member, both of which are made of plastic materials to be molten by ultrasonic oscillation.
In the publication, the first member is provided with a plurality of grooves, while the second member is provided with a plurality of projections for respective engagement with the grooves. In order to connect the terminal to a covered wire having core lines covered with an insulation cover, the terminal is firstly accommodated in one of the grooves and the wire is laid on the terminal in succession. Note, the covered wire means that a wire has core lines covered with an insulating cover.
Then, the second member is laid on the first member so that the projections engage in the grooves, respectively. Next, under such a condition, the first and second members are vibrated by the ultrasonic waves while exerting a pressure on the members. Consequently, owing to this ultrasonic oscillation, the insulating cover is fused, so that the exposed core lines come into electrical contact with terminal. Simultaneously, the first member is also welded to the second member into one body, thereby completing an integrated connecting structure.
While, in the above-mentioned connecting structure, the electrical connection between the core line and the terminal is attained by the first and second members made of resinous (plastic) materials. Therefore, if the first and second members are subjected to forces to separate them from each other due to the resinous materials' shrinkage caused by a temperature change, the members' pressure on the core line and the terminal would be reduced to increase the contact resistance therebetween unfortunately.